Breaking: Propane Explosions at the Festy Experience in Virginia

The festival will resume at 4:00 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Bowl. Elephant Revival will reopen the festival. Organizers are asking attendees not to enter the venue until rescue crews ensure the areas are safe to enter.

Update: 3:40 p.m.

Promoter Dave Frey and Festy owner Michael Allenby have just confirmed to NYS Music that the show will continue. Vendors are now being allowed back into the festival grounds and the attendees will be let in soon after.

2:50 p.m. According to Blue Ridge Life,Wintergreen Fire and Rescue has confirmed a propane explosion at the final day of the Festy Experience in Arrington, VA this afternoon. Eyewitnesses reported an explosion at a funnel cake vendor’s truck which triggered a chain reaction among neighboring food trucks.

According to NYS Music contributor Sarah Borque, who is on site for the festival, the explosion occurred during Dar Williams’ set at the Festy Experience, an annual festival held on the same grounds as the annual Lock’n Festival.

Produced by the Infamous Stringdusters, the Festy Experience features many Americana and Bluegrass performances as well as a variety of other genres.

According to Borque, the explosion originated in the Skyline Stage area of the grounds, triggering a chain reaction of at least five explosions.

Photo credit: Ross Winecoff

At this time, fire officials have confirmed one injury. Fire and law enforcement officials are on the scene interviewing witnesses and conducting crowd and traffic control in and out of the festival. All performances have been postponed while the scene is being assessed.

The festival has posted an update on its Facebook page regarding the incident. According to organizers, the festival will continue. At this time, attendees have been advised to return to their sites.